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Responsible gambling
Sports betting carries real financial risk. Where to get confidential help with problem gambling, and the limits of betting software.
Updated Oct 28, 2026
WagerBench is written for adults 21 and older in places where sports betting is legal. Betting software can help with comparing odds and doing the math, but it can't remove risk.
Get help
If betting is causing problems for you or someone close to you, the National Council on Problem Gambling's national helpline is free and confidential. Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). You can also text 1-800-522-4700 or chat at 1800myreset.org.
The limits of betting software
- No scanner, model or calculator guarantees a profit. Losing streaks happen even when your bets have positive expected value.
- Odds can change before every part of a bet is placed, which can turn an expected edge into a loss.
- Sportsbooks can limit or close accounts, and their terms apply to you.
- A subscription is a fixed cost. Don't increase your stakes to justify it.
- Only bet money you can afford to lose, and decide your limits before you start.
Warning signs
- Chasing losses, or betting more to win back money.
- Borrowing money, or using money meant for bills, to bet.
- Hiding betting from people close to you.
- Feeling anxious or irritable when you aren't betting.
- Seeing betting tools as a way out of money problems.
Tools that can help
Licensed sportsbooks generally offer controls such as deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion; look for the responsible gaming section of your sportsbook's site or app. Your state's gaming regulator can tell you whether a statewide self-exclusion program is available where you live.